Catamenial bandage.



0. J. MILLER-JONES.

GATAMENIAL BANDAGE.

APPLICATION FILED 11211.4. 1910.

1,008,487. Patented Sept. 19,1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 20.. WASHINGTON, D. Q

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UNTTFD @TATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLGA J. MILLER-JONES, 0Z3 WEST NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK.

CA'lAli/IENIAL BANDAGE.

To oZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLGA J. MILLER- Jonns, a citizen of the United States, residing at West New Brighton, Staten Island, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catamenial Bandages, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to a catamenial bandage and has for its object an improved arrangement and coi'istruot-ion which gives unusual comfort to the wearer, besides performing the functions for which it is intended in an unusually effective manner. The requirements of a serviceable device of this character call for an abundance of absorbent material at the central part of the bandage, and it is extremely desirable to have little or no thickness of material at the attaching ends so that unseemly bulging of the clothing may be avoided. It also adds greatly to the wearers comfort to have a bandage with a certain amount of elasticity throughout its length, whereby it will yield readily to any strain and then expand to its former position when relieved. In previous devices of this character, usually of uniform thickness of filling throughout, the fault has been that after a short time the filling at the center becomes hardened or displaced, resulting in a hard stringy center with bulg ing ends. This is partly due to the lack of any elasticity lengthwise of the bandage, and partly to the lack of means for properly retaining the absorbent filling in place.

The improved manner hereinafter described of forming and arranging the bandage in a substantial square and folding in the corners to bring the length of the band age on the bias of the fabric, results not only in the desired elasticity of the same but also provides a body of triple-ply thickness at the center, which gradually tapers ofi" toward either end. Further advantages of this construction will appear in the following specification, and the scope of the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, which represent a preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of a device laid flat and unfolded; Fig. 2 is a section along line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sect-ion in the direction of line 3-3 Fig. 4, but showing the bandage only partly folded; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bandage completely folded and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911. Serial No. 553,376.

under tension, the dotted lines indicating its normal position when not under tension.

Referring to the drawings, the bandage is made up of two superposed layers of fabric of any suitable absorbent material, indicated at 1 and 2, which are cut as shown in Fig. 1 substantially in the form of a square. Evenly distributed between these layers of fabric at the center thereof, and similar in outline, is a substantial thickness of absorbent material forming a filling, and this filling may be bounded on its four sides as shown by a seam, indicated at t in Fig. 1, which effectively retains the filling at the center and spaces it on all sides from the outer edges of the fabric 1 and 2. Any two opposite corners of the bandage, as at 9, may be folded one or more times upon itself to form a reinforced attaching portion, and preferably running between these corners 9 are spaced parallel seams 5 and 6 connecting the superposed layers of fabric and dividing the filling into three sections indicated in Figs.2 and 3 as 8, 3* and 3 besides firmly binding this filling in place between the layers of fabric. Cross seams 7 and 8 at the ends of the seams 5 and 6 may be provided-if desired to strengthen the attaching corners. It will be noted that the seams 5 and 6 extend in a direction on the bias of the fabric 1 and 2, in other words, they run diagonally across the weave of the cloth and form permanent folding creases. The purpose of this arrangement is that the two opposite corners 10 of this bandage are adapted to be folded along the seams or creases 5 and 6, overlapping each other at the center as indicated in Fig. 3 to form a bandage, the body portion of which runs on the bias across the fabric, as indicated in Fig. 4. Obviously since the corners 10 are triangular in shape when thus folded over along the scams 5 and 6, they form a body of three-ply thickness-at the center, tapering gradually toward either end. This produces a bandage possessing the advantages above described, and also since the length of the same extends on the bias of the fabric, it has a certain amount of elasticity which enables it to stretch in a longitudinal direction when subjected to tension and contact to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, and which when the tension is relieved will immediately expand into the position. shown in dotted lines of said figure. The elasticity of the bandage thus enables it to readily adapt itself to all the movements of the wearer.

What I claim is 1. A catamenial bandage comprising superposed layers of absorbent fabric, substantially square in outline with a filling of absorbent material, evenly distributed between the same, said layers of fabric having spaced parallel seams running on the bias across the same between two opposite corners thereof, and said bandage being arranged'to fold along said seams, whereby the remaining corners thereof overlap at the center to form a body with the thickest portion at the center tapering gradually toward each end.

2. A catamenial bandage comprising superposed layers of absorbent fabric, substantially square in outline with a filling of absorbent material, evenly distributed between the same in similar outline, but spaced on all sides from the edge of said fabric, the two opposite corners of said fabric being folded over one or more times upon itself to form reinforced attaching portions and spaced parallel seams running on the bias across said fabric between said corners thereof, said bandage being arranged to fold along said seams whereby the remaining corners thereof overlap at the center to form a body with the thickest por- 3. A catamenial bandage comprising superposed layers of absorbent fabric, substantially square in outline with a filling of absorbent material, evenly distributed between the same in similar outline, but spaced on all sides from the edge of said position between said layers, the two opover one or more times upon itself to form reinforced attaching portions and spaced parallel seams running on the has across said fabric between said corners thereof, said bandage being arranged to fold along said seams whereby the remaining corners thereof overlap at the center to form a body with the thickest portion at the center, taperin gradually toward each end.

4. A bandage for the purpose described comprising superposed layers of absorbent fabric having a filling of absorbent material evenly distributed therebetween with a rectangular outline, permanent folding creases running diagonally across said rectangularly disposed filling material between two opposite corners thereof and on the bias of said fabric, said remaining corners adapted to be folded along said creases to overlap one another and provide a folded bandage with its thickest portion at the center tapering gradually toward each end and with its lengthwise direction on the bias of said fabric, whereby the same is given elasticity to expand and contract.

5. A bandage for the purpose described comprising superposed layers of absorbent fabric having a filling of absorbent material evenly distributed therebetween with a rec- ;tangular out-line, means for retaining said filling in place comprising folding seams Erunning diagonally across said rectangu- 1 larly disposed filling material between two opposite corners thereof and on the bias of tion at the center, tapering gradually to- 1 ward each end.

said fabric, said remaining corners adapted to be folded along said seams to overlap, ione another and provide a folded bandage withits thickest portion at the center tapering gradually toward each end and with 3 its lengthwise direction on the bias of said fabric, whereby the same is given elasticity to expand and contract.

fabric, means for retaining said filling in i day of April 1910. posite corners of said fabric being folded Signed at New York city, N. Y., this 1st OLGA J. MILLER-J ONES. Witnesses:

BEATRICE MIRVIS, NATHAN ErsrEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

